My name is Terry L. Cochran (AZ2), from Austin, Texas. I was a member of Attack Squadron 145, serving aboard the USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) during the Vietnam War (Jan 1969 - July 1969).
After the 14 Jan 1969 fire the USS Enterprise was refitted in Hawaii in record time for duty. This was done to show Russia and the rest of the world that we could sustain a major fire and be back on full duty within a couple of months. We then sailed off to fight in the Vietnam War.
It was 14 April 1969 and a North Korean aircraft shot down an unarmed EC-121 Constellation which was on a routine reconnaissance patrol over the Sea of Japan from its base at Atsugi, Japan. The entire 31-man crew was killed.
The United States responded by activating Task Force 71 (TF-71) to protect such flights over those international waters in the future.
Initially, the Task Force consisted of the carrier's USS Enterprise, USS Ticonderoga, USS Ranger and USS Hornet with a screen of three cruisers and twenty-two destroyers, five submarines, two hundred planes, and the USS New Jersey, the worlds only operative battleship.
The USS Enterprise became part of America's strongest show of military might; since the Korean War. President Nixon gave sailing orders to Task Force 71, a forty ship armada assigned the task of protecting future reconnaissance flight near North Korea.
However, the crisis abated and on April 24, 1969, Task Force 71 (TF-71) was redeployed from the Sea Of Japan to the Yellow Sea, then two days later disbanded and the USS Enterprise returned to the Gulf Of Tonkin.
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We were within a few days of having liberty in Sidney, Australia and got the call to turn around and head to North Korean waters. It was summer time in the Australian waters and within a week we were in bitterly cold winter weather in the Yellow Sea.
It was a very dangerous time for us in the fleet attached to Task Force 71. Tensions were very high and the armada was at the highest state of alert.
The USS Enterprise was ready for anything to happen in this explosive situation. All aircraft were armed and "good to go".
I remember seeing the coast of North Korea from the ship and being part of something larger than life. An armada of ships "at the ready" for any type of confrontation in the North Korean waters.
We got their attention and made them think twice about messing with the United States.
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It seems that a good show of military might is a sure cure-all for making the North Korean or any country we are having nuclear or terrorist problems with think twice about messing with the United States. The task force was a mighty showing of our country's resolve.
North Koreans Down Navy Recon Plane Pacific Stars and Stripes Vol. 25, No. 106
Thursday, April, 17, 1969
WASHINGTON___ A U.S. Navy reconnaissance Plane with 31 men aboard was lost Tuesday (April 15, 1969) in the Far East and Communist North Korea claimed they shot it down "with a single shot at a high altitude."
The White House reportedly told congressional leaders that two MIG jets shot down the plane.
A massive search for the plane is under way in the Sea of Japan, 95 miles south of Ch'ongjin, North Korea.
The Pentagon said the aircraft had orders to fly no closer than 50 nautical miles from the North Korean coast and that it actually was 90 miles at sea when heard from last.
It was identified as a version of the Air Force EC-121, four-engine, propeller driven craft loaded with sophisticated intelligence gathering equipment.
A North Korean radio broadcast said the plane intruded into North Korean airspace and was downed with one shot at high altitude, hinting an anti-aircraft missile may have been used.
President Nixon was informed of the incident by his national security advisor, Dr. Henry Kissinger. "The president will be kept informed of this matter throughout the day," a White House spokesman said.
The North Korean broadcast said the plane "was reconnoitering after intruding deep into the territorial air space of the northern half of the republic" when it was shot down.
Ch'ongjin is a port city in North Korea's northeast panhandle, only about 75 miles from China and 150 miles south of Vladivostok.
WASHINGTON AP___ A U.S. aircraft searching for the Navy electronics plane which North Korea claims to have shot down has sighted debris in the Sea of Japan, the Pentagon reported Tuesday night. "This debris could be associated with the missing aircraft," a Defense Department statement said. "No survivors have been reported."
The Pentagon said the plane took off from the U.S. Navy base at Atsugi, Japan and was last heard from about seven hours later.
The Defense Dept. statement said the pilot was under orders to approach no closer than 50 nautical miles from the North Korean coast. The purpose of the mission was not disclosed. The statement did not go beyond calling the plane a "reconnaissance aircraft."
The North Korean broadcast said the plane was downed at 1:30 PM local time Tuesday after a "grave provocation of infiltrating deep into the territorial air space of the republic."
The broadcast, monitored in Tokyo, said "the air force unit of our peoples' army ...scored a brilliant battle success of shooting it down with a single shot at a high altitude..."
The EC-121 is a 300 mph, unarmed aircraft carrying six tons of electronics equipment. A bulbous dome on the top of the fuselage houses a special antenna.
The EC-121 crew included 30 Navy men and one enlisted Marine.
There were three 30 man life rafts aboard the plane and weather conditions were relatively favorable for rescue if the men survived.
Seas in the area were described as moderate with waves about four feet high. Air temperature was estimated at 42 to 48 degrees with the sea slightly warmer.
U.S. Senate leader, Everett M. Dirksen told a news conference there had been mention of possible survivors at a White House meeting. He said legislative leaders were in formed that two ships, believed to be Russian, were moving toward the spot where the plane was downed.
Dirksen said the report was that the plane was shot down by two MIG fighters which had been sighted by radar, taking off about 30 minutes before the attack.
He said there was no discussion at the White House meeting of possible retaliation for the attack.
Two U.S. destroyers sailed through the Sea of Japan to join a search for possible survivors.
A U.S. Navy spokesman at Yokosuka, Naval Base said the USS Tucker and USS Dale were expected to reach the search area around 9 PM.
The Pentagon later said rescue aircraft reaching the scene ran search patterns and dropped flares during the night with little success.
A Pacific Stars and Stripes reporter at Tachikawa AB, Japan, reported that crew members of one of the search planes said they saw "dim lights" on the sea, but there was no confirmation of any survivors.
The Pentagon said the search operation was started by an HC-130 Hurcules plane, accompanied by a HC-135 Tanker, with "combat patrol" protection. This, presumably, meant a flight of jet fighters, in case the rescue force ran into Communist planes or vessels.
Other Aircraft from Tachikawa AB, Guam; Clark AB, Okinawa and Iwakuni MCAS in southern Japan were en route to the search area by daylight Wednesday.
The 5th Air Force Joint Rescue Coordination Center said a total of 26 aircraft were to be operating in the search by daylight.
Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. L Mendel Rivers, called for military retaliation against North Korea with "whatever is necessary."
If nuclear weapons are required, the South Carolina Democrat said, "let them have it. It's time to give them what they ask for."
Rivers said the plane was "at least 90 miles off the shores of North Korea. There was no violation of North Korean territory. There was no hint of provocation."
Rivers said there is "no doubt" that all 31 men aboard the plane are dead.
"How long will we let a little insignificant Communist satellite push this nation to the point where we are being laughed at by the rest of the world?" Rivers asked.
14-APR-69 SQUADRON: FLEET AIRBORNE RECONNAISSANCE SQDN ONE (VQ-1) AIRCRAFT: EC-121M, BuNo 135749, PR-21, "Deepsea Two One" LOCATION: SE of Chongjin, North Korea. EVENT: Shot down by two North Korean MIG fighters over the Sea of Japan. LOSS: 31 of 31-man crew killed: CREW: LCDR James H Overstreet LT John N Dzema LT Dennis B Gleason LT Peter P Perrottet LT John H Singer LT Robert F Taylor LTJG Joseph R Ribar LTJG Robert J Sykora Louis F Balderman, ADR2 Stephen C Chartier, AT1 Bernie J Colgin, AT1 Ballard F Connors, Jr, ADR1 Gary R DuCharme, CT3 Gene K Graham, ATN3 LaVerne A Greiner, AEC Dennis J Horrigan, ATR2 Richard H Kincaid, ATN2 Marshall H McNamara, ADRC Timothy H McNeil, ATR2 John A Miller, CT3 John H Potts, CT1 Richard T Prindle, AMS3 Richard E Smith, CTC Philip D Sundby, CT3 Richard E Sweeney, AT1 Stephen J Tesmer, CT2 David M Willis, ATN3 Hugh M Lynch, SSGT, USMC
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by tlcochran: I recently applied for the Korean Defense Service Medal inacted by Congress in 2005 and was awarded this metal for being part of Task Force 71 in Apr - May 1969. All shipmates that served aboard the USS Enterprise for that 30 day period can apply and get this medal.
This KDSM is authorized for all Korean War Veteran's and does include the Pueblo crisis that the Big E responded to in 1968.
Requesting Replacement Medals, Awards, and Decorations
Requests for the issuance or replacement of military service medals, decorations, and awards should be directed to the specific branch of the military in which the veteran served. However, for Air Force (including Army Air Corps) and Army personnel, the National Personnel Records Center will verify the awards to which a veteran is entitled and forward the request with the verification to the appropriate service department for issuance of the medals.
The Standard Form (SF 180), Request Pertaining to Military Records, is recommended for requesting medals and awards. Provide as much information as possible and send the form to the appropriate address from the following tables:
Navy
Where to write for medals Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where medals are mailed from Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where to write in case of a problem or an appeal Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV 09B33) Awards & Special Projects Washington, DC 20350-2000
Marine Corps Where to write for medals
Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where medals are mailed from Bureau of Naval Personnel Liaison Office Room 5409 9700 Page Avenue St. Louis, MO 63132-5100
Where to write in case of a problem or an appeal
Commandant of the Marine Corps Military Awards Branch (MMMA) 3280 Russell Road Quantico VA 22134-5100
This message has been edited. Last edited by: tlcochran,
My father was AT1 Stephen Chartier on the EC121 that was shoot down that day. My mother came back to the United States a widow with three small children and pg. She never did remarry to this day.
A book WEST PAC was recently published by iUniverse, arthur James Sadler which has a chapter in it about the SAR mission in the Sea of Japan following the shoot down. It is being sold on iUniverse.
The Korean Defense Service Medal inacted by Congress in 2005 is awarded for being part of Task Force 71 in Apr - May 1969. All shipmates that served aboard the USS Enterprise for that 30 day period can apply and get this medal.
It was for defense of South Korea. i.e. the shoot down of EC121 flight.
Long ago I ask for an update of my dd214 didnt understand a few things on it..what is vietnam cross of gallantry with palm also says i have vietnam service medal two bronze stars. also armed forces expedionary medal with (k) NO vietnam campaign medal .. does this make sense.I was on the flight deck on jan14th arming ordinance on our planes va215 a7s when the rockets bombs and fire started. I was assigned by somebody to start dearming ordinance i could reach.. along with others. we recieved a commendation for ships captain and out c/o Cmdr LeBlanc va215 but it isnt in my record.. just spouting off tks..
